Jeffry Borgida

Hello Fellow Blue!!!

My name is Jeffry Borgida and I am a candidate for the NBUA Board of Directors. I am running for re-election following my first two years on the board. I have been with NBUA for 13 years and am excited about the opportunity to continue to serve the organization as a board member.

I currently serve on the Executive Committee as Secretary and am responsible for all board level documentation (including meeting minutes) as well as the roster of umpires. When I was elected to the board two years ago, it was with a commitment to see our pay increase and expand some of our training programs. I am pleased that we have continued to see our pay increase and that our training programs continue to be the best in the area if not the entire state.

My commitment going forward is to continue to advocate for increase pay along with training development (hopefully with video). I also commit to continuing to be as transparent as possible to the entire organization as the board continues to work for the benefit of the association.

It will be an honor and privilege to continue to serve you.
Thank you.

Lorenzo Hill

Serving as an umpire has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Although I am one of our newer umpires, I have developed a deeper appreciation for the game of baseball, the responsibility that comes with wearing the uniform, and the professionalism that our association represents. Every game has strengthened my passion for the sport and reinforced my desire to serve.

What I appreciate most about baseball is the discipline it teaches. Success on the field requires preparation, accountability, sound judgment, and continuous learning, qualities that are equally valuable in life. Umpiring allows me to be part of that tradition while giving back to a game that has positively impacted generations of athletes and communities.

One lesson from my first season still makes me smile. Throughout my life, I’ve occasionally been teased for being a “loud mouth.” As an umpire, however, that trait has become an unexpected strength. Players, coaches, and parents have consistently told me they appreciate how clearly and confidently I communicate because everyone on the field can hear my calls. It turns out that what some thought was a flaw has become one of my greatest assets on the field. Clear communication builds confidence, reduces confusion, earns the trust of players, coaches, and fans, and helps the game run smoothly.

I am interested in serving on the NBUA Board of Directors because I believe I can bring energy, dedication, and a fresh perspective to our association. While I am still growing as an umpire, I am fully committed to helping strengthen and expand our organization for years to come.

One of my greatest passions is recruitment. I believe we have an incredible opportunity to introduce more people to the rewarding experience of umpiring while strengthening the future of our association. As someone who believes our association should reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, I am especially passionate about increasing awareness and participation within the Black community while welcoming anyone with the desire to learn and serve the game. Representation matters, and I believe there are many individuals who would make outstanding officials if they were simply introduced to the opportunity.

To accomplish this, I would like to explore partnerships with local Black fraternities and sororities, civic organizations, faith-based organizations, youth baseball programs, and other community organizations to help expose more people to officiating. By building relationships within these communities, we can create new pathways for individuals who may never have considered umpiring but possess the character, leadership, and
professionalism to excel.

Recruiting new members is only the first step. Retaining them through mentorship, education, and a welcoming environment is just as important. I want every new umpire to experience the same encouragement and sense of belonging that has made my first season such an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

I also look forward to supporting initiatives that promote training, mentorship, professional development, and the continued excellence that defines NBUA. By investing in our current members while developing future officials, we can build an even stronger association for years to come.

If elected, I will serve with integrity, humility, and a willingness to listen. I am fully invested in the success of NBUA and committed to working alongside my fellow board members to help our association continue to grow and thrive. I believe leadership is not about having all the answers; it is about being willing to serve, to listen, and to work alongside others to leave the association stronger than we found it.

The future of our association depends not only on developing outstanding umpires, but also on inspiring the next generation to put on the uniform. By expanding our outreach, investing in mentorship, and strengthening our ties to the communities we serve, we can ensure that NBUA continues to grow in both numbers and excellence.

For me, serving on the Board is not about holding a position—it is about creating opportunities, strengthening our association, and giving back to the game that has already given me so much. I would be honored to serve.

Respectfully,
Lorenzo Hill

David Jaffe

I’ve been an NBUA member since 2016. I believe umpiring baseball is a meaningful way to give back to the community by ensuring that players, coaches, and fans enjoy the highest quality experience. This is achieved through a commitment to adjudicating the game without bias, arrogance, or personal interests. It begins with showing up on time, being prepared, dressing appropriately, and demonstrating confidence without arrogance. Hustling to get the best angle and distance for each call is crucial, for example, a base umpire moving from C to B for plays at first base, or a plate umpire advancing up the first base line, coming set, and watching for pulled foot, swipe tag, or running lane violation. Clear, concise, and defensible communication is essential. When the game concludes, we walk off the field knowing we did our job well.

I won’t bore you with platitudes or empty promises about what I’ll do if elected to the
NBUA board. Instead, you have my commitment to uphold the values I have
demonstrated throughout my life: a strong work ethic, dedication to family and friends,
curiosity, willingness to help others improve, openness to feedback, an emphasis on continuous improvement, asking questions, stepping beyond my comfort zone, humility,
honesty, and integrity.
Thank you.

Brian Tschumper

I am grateful for the opportunity to once again seek a position on the NBUA Board of Directors. This association has shaped my umpiring journey since I joined as an apprentice in 2015, and it continues to be a community I care deeply about. Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of serving as Director of Evaluations (2025/2026) and Vice President (2026), roles that have strengthened my commitment to supporting our umpires and improving the way we operate as an organization.

In my current term, I have focused on delivering meaningful, measurable progress for our membership. I am proud that we have provided dedicated game observations to over 95% of eligible umpires, ensuring that nearly every official receives feedback to support their growth. This level of coverage reflects my belief that evaluation is not just a process, it is a cornerstone of development, retention, and excellence.

Training remains another passion of mine. I have continued to serve as assistant training lead for our apprentice program and as a technical resource for all training operations. Whether supporting curriculum design, facilitating sessions, or modernizing our tools, I am committed to helping every umpire, from brand new rookies to seasoned veterans, build confidence, competence, and pride in their craft.

A major focus of my board service has been improving organizational effectiveness and longterm sustainability. Over the last two years, I have led efforts to consolidate and structure our organizational data, enabling clearer decisionmaking and more consistent processes. I have also designed and delivered new tools for the association, including the Video Training Library, Apprentice Training Hub, Promotions Portal and the upcoming Umpire Hub launching for the 2027 season. These systems will streamline communication, centralize resources, and strengthen transparency across the association.

My professional background, over 30 years in leadership roles at Microsoft and Amazon, continues to inform how I approach service to the NBUA. I bring experience in managing large teams, building scalable systems, and driving continuous improvement. I believe strongly in collaboration, clarity, and accountability, and I work hard to apply those principles to every initiative I take on.

If given the opportunity to serve another term, I will continue to invest my time, energy, and passion into making our association stronger, more efficient, and more supportive of the umpires who make our work possible. Our customers expect excellence, and our umpires deserve the tools, training, and leadership to deliver it. I am committed to helping us meet that standard together.

Sincerely,
Brian Tschumper

Henry VonJouanne

I am honored to be considered again for an NBUA Board of Director position. I have completed four term’s – eight years – as a board member and I am eager to continue serving for another term.

As a board member, I served as the Director of Training, the Chair of the Bylaws, Policies & Procedures Committee, and most recently as President of the Association. My time as an NBUA umpire and board member has confirmed a few realities:

• The NBUA is a great organization – filled with great people. I am proud of our members and the quality of the product we place on the field.
• We have a great Training program that leverages on the great umpiring talent we have available and strongly supports the quality of the product we place on the field.
• As an NBUA official, I take great pride in knowing four things about my partner: 1) my partner loves the game, 2) my partner loves to officiate, 3) my partner wants to be there, and 4) my partner wants to get better.
• We are routinely over-extended as an organization. We have more demand for our services than we have resources, so we have had to turn-away games, and we have used umpires from other associations.

My primary goal as a Board Member is simple: to fully and enthusiastically support the NBUA mission. That is, “We deliver the highest quality service to our customers by umpiring all games to the best of our ability and with fairness to all participants via state of the art training and evaluation and demonstrated examples of inclusion.” The NBUA has – in my opinion – always separated itself with a strong training program – so I believe our excellence and “highest quality” starts with training – and supports the quality of the product we place on the field.

As President, I’ve experienced first-hand how the quality of our product has significantly increased the demand for our services. A few years ago, we increased our coverage to include the Pacific International League (PIL) and the expanded coverage for the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League (PSSBL). Our High School coverage has likewise expanded with more teams than ever when accounting for the Varsity and various sub-Varsity levels. And our summer ball customers routinely ask for more coverage. So it’s easy to be happy about our success.

But our success leads directly to difficult challenges. During peak school-ball or summer-ball weekends, we can’t cover all the games we are assigned. We have had to turn-away the 13U age group, and we have used umpires from other regions. We are not unique in any way. All sports associations report a shortage of officials; however, the baseball – and softball situation is more acute due to the cost of entry for a baseball official. For years, our recruiting and retention has been a key focus area at the Officiate Washington convention. Note that our Recruiting Chairs – Brian Rooney and now Michael Opprecht – have done a great job with recruiting. Every year, we see 20-to-30 new apprentices. Our challenge is to improve the retention of these great recruits.

Another point of emphasis is clearer communication on the path to promotion. What does it take to get to the next tier? I believe our organization is eager to promote our deserving umpires and I think we can explain the process and prepare those that are near a promotion.

These are some of the areas for improvement as we near the conclusion of the 2026 season and look forward to 2027. If elected again to the NBUA Board of Directors, I pledge to continue as a strong advocate for the NBUA. Thank you for your consideration.

Not all Board candidates returned their responses by the deadline.

1. There have been no Board meeting minutes posted on the website since October of 2024. As a Board Member, what is your position on transparency into Board activity? Would you post Board minutes to the website?

Thom Denholm – Transparency is important for an organization, and I can assure you that there was no attempt to hide anything.

The previous procedure was for Member Services to take what was produced by the Secretary and email to the technical committee for posting. I didn’t realize that, so the best thing to do is refine and document the procedure. Anyone in the organization can ask if they want to see the minutes and they haven’t been posted.

Mike Opprecht – My position is that transparency is fundamental to building trust and accountability within our organization. Board meeting minutes should always be posted promptly and consistently so Members can stay informed about decisions, discussions, and priorities. If elected, I would advocate for a clear process to ensure minutes are uploaded after each meeting without delay, and I’d support making them easily accessible on the website for all members to review.

Todd Berger – Transparency is always positive in areas that affect the membership. I am in favor of sharing any information pertaining to subjects such as needed training, mentoring best practices, success stories, game fees and expenses, etc. I would approve having key dialogue that is board approved posted on the website for the membership to review.

2. The venue for the banquet has changed, moving from South Sound to North Sound. Additionally, the golf event appears to have stopped this year. As a Board Member, how would ensure such changes incorporate Member feedback before enacted?

Thom Denholm – The banquet venue has changed over the years, north and south. While this has not been done before, a poll could be taken of the membership. I believe final say should rest with the board.

Mike Opprecht – Member feedback should be a cornerstone of any decision that affects our community experience. As a Board Member, I would advocate for a clear communication process—such as surveys, open forums, or direct outreach—before making changes to major events like the banquet or golf outing. I believe in proactive planning, and I’d use tools like checklists and timelines to ensure we’re gathering input early and often. This way, we’re not just making decisions—we’re making informed decisions that reflect what our members actually want.

Golf attendance has fallen, despite reaching out to golfers of prior years. An early season poll for next year makes sense – golf, attend an Aquasox or Rainiers game, or something else perhaps? Then approach the board for any budgetary concerns.

Todd Berger – There are a number of key areas that must be evaluated when scheduling an event – the annual banquet and or golf outing. With regards to the banquet – Cost, Central Location, Menu, favorable room & facilities, etc. Having joined the group last year, I attended both the banquet and played golf in the tournament (and was part of the winning foursome, may I add, haha), I felt the banquet was a great event for all of us to get together, share stories on the season and introduce our spouses/partners to each other. I’d be in favor of moving it north and south periodically, but sometimes the best packages come from repeat commitments, so the decisions are made to have it in the same place. ON the golf outing side, as I mentioned, I played last year and we had a total of 8 players (2 foursomes), which disappointed me as I thought it would be at least 5 or more teams. I would support having a banquet/golf committee who would informally survey other members on where & when they would take place.

3. How would you work with your fellow Board Members to ensure all committees are functioning properly and completing their assigned duties? How would you work with Board Members who may not be fulfilling their duties?

Thom Denholm – All committees report to the board during each meeting, and this gives other board members an opportunity to keep an eye on things. That said, the timeline of activities is more tribal knowledge than documented. A board calendar might help keep us on task.

Mike Opprecht – I believe strong communication and accountability are key to ensuring committees stay on track. I’d advocate for regular check-ins and progress updates from each committee, and encourage a culture where Board Members support one another in meeting responsibilities. If someone isn’t fulfilling their duties, I’d approach the situation respectfully—starting with a conversation to understand any challenges they’re facing—and work together to find a solution that benefits the Board and the Membership.

Todd Berger – Open dialogue and communication. I would recommend committees for key areas that the Board is responsible for managing and the committee chairperson would take ownership on progress made and communicating results to the membership.

4. The promotion criteria are not clearly available to the Membership. What is your position on being completely transparent with Members on the specific criteria for moving up tiers and each Member’s readiness for promotion?

Thom Denholm – Numeric promotion criteria have changed over the years, yet the common element remains the same -umpires must be seen and evaluated by higher level umpires. The expectations for each tier are documented in training and on our website – https://nbua.net/members/training-materials/ Specific advice I would give is to keep working games and actively look for feedback from partners.

Mike Opprecht – Transparency around promotion criteria is essential for fairness and trust. I fully support making the criteria for tier advancement publicly available and easy to understand. Members deserve to know exactly what’s expected and how their progress is being evaluated. Clear guidelines empower umpires to take ownership of their development and help ensure consistency across the board.

Todd Berger – In my opinion, NBUA does an above average job in training, evaluating, mentoring and promoting umpires – regardless of their current level. In addition to the evaluation lead, I feel that surveying those umpires who have worked directly with those being considered for promotion is invaluable! I’m not sure how it’s exactly done currently, but believe that discussion from the feedback received on promotion candidates will better support the decision to promote if it’s across multiple instances and opinions. I would also be in favor of mid-year promotions, if warranted.

5. How will you ensure every umpire eligible for evaluation receives a complete and sufficient evaluation to determine if they are ready to move up a level?

Thom Denholm – This is a difficult question – as an organization, we need more umpires to work games AND perform evaluations, and the first item tends to take priority. We need to encourage injured umpires to continue to serve in an evaluation capacity. We already prioritize those evaluations for umpires that are “eligible”, and that may be the best we can do.

Mike Opprecht – To ensure every eligible umpire receives a thorough evaluation is the goal, I’d push for a structured and well-documented process that includes timely scheduling, feedback from multiple sources, and clear benchmarks. Evaluations should be consistent, constructive, and focused on growth.

Todd Berger – Again, with over 150+ umpires in the membership officiating multiple levels of games – it’s in our best interest to attract, train and retain those who are doing this for the right reasons! While there is responsibility across a few individuals to lead the discussion, I’d be in favor of increasing the number of people involved in these decisions to promote those seeking a higher rating.